Dad Today I saw you in the chapel of rest. You looked peaceful. Your skin looked tanned and smooth for the first time in years. You could have been sleeping, but for the fact I was there when God took you from us. I held you and waited until your last heart beat stopped. Simon has asked me to contribute to this site but I cannot find the words to truly express the loss that I feel. You used to joke with me about dying, and I’d shout to Mum “Mum, Dads upsetting me!” and we’d laugh. I want to scream to God now. I think that a lot of people who knew you as you got older and weaker, forgot that you were an incredible man, who had lived an amazingly colourful life, stories told of times in your life spent with people from all walks of life from Majors, the Cameo brothers, old travellers, show people, you name it, you were able to talk to anyone about anything. I used to watch you when I was younger and be so proud of my Dad as you could breath life and love into the world in so many ways. You were strong and bold, funny and passionate about life. Always joking about, incredibly funny and quick, always able to connect to people, even if you only just met them. You were so hard working, working for just enough to keep us fed and warm, you didn’t ask for more than that; you were taken advantage of so many times for this, but you swallowed your pride for the sake of your family. I will never be able to show you how much I loved you for this. You were my greatest teacher. I learned so much from you….you taught me to break my words down and helped me learn to read and write….Mor-tim-er was the example you used with me. I remember. You taught me my times table (I forgot it now) You taught me that there were pictures in the clouds. You taught me to love poetry and you showed me how music can touch you soul, you taught me to love reading and how imagination can be more powerful than any television programme. You taught me that I am free to go wherever I want to in my mind and how your spirit can soar outside the physical. You taught me that there is balance in the world. When I was campaigning to stop fox hunting, you told me that so many rabbits would die for every fox I saved….You broaden my perspective in the most incredible ways. You told me about the times in your life which you learned lessons from, and you gifted me these lessons without my suffering the hardship which you had suffered in your learning; and I will gift these lessons onto my Jacob. You walked the streets of Manchester at 11 years of age, homeless and uncared for, looking through the windows of the houses and watching the families, warm and loved in their homes… you taught me never to spend my life looking through other peoples windows; and I thank you for this Dad. You told me to do one thing each day that makes me happy…even if it’s a little thing, and if I do this then I can get to the end of my days and say, with confidence, that I have been happy every day of my life; and I thank you for this and promise with all my heart to do something everyday that makes me happy, whilst thinking of you. Even after your life ended Dad, you still taught me, this time, the most valuable lesson of my life, you taught me courage and strength which I never knew I had. You taught me not to fear death and I can now look upon its face and still believe that the spirit is powerful and our love is so strong that Death cannot separate us. You taught me that life is precious and every moment should be lived fully and cherished. I have no regrets Dad, I was there for you always over the years, I never forgot the wonderful and unique man that you were and this little girl never stopped looking up to her Dad. I’ll always remember all the fun and laughs we had. Nobody can ever replace you and I pray that we meet again one day and I will always be thankful that you were my Dad and that I had 37 fantastic years with you. Love, Always and forever, Baby Jane.